1983 GS1100E Petcock question

[Airstream]

Hello fellow GS owners. First post as I just picked up an 83 GS1100 for 400.00.
First dumb question: is the petcock lever supposed to move as mine does not?
Fresh battery but cranks slowly. At 70000 Kilometers maybe the starter is tired.
Were the tires tubeless in 83?

Thanks

[tom203]

Hello fellow GS owners. First post as I just picked up an 83 GS1100 for 400.00.
First dumb question: is the petcock lever supposed to move as mine does not?
Fresh battery but cranks slowly. At 70000 Kilometers maybe the starter is tired.
Were the tires tubeless in 83?

Thanks

It likely used to have 3 positions- lever back is Prime; lever straight down is normal "ON" spot; lever forward is "Reserve" spot. If it doesn't move, it probably won't pass gas anyways. If this bike has been sitting, you have much to do before you tire out that fresh battery- follow the link to top ten (and growing) newbies mistakes. You might get lucky and have the bike start eventually, but don't bet on it running well in any event.
Check tire code on sidewall to determine which century the tires were made in- my 81 has tubeless , replaced in 2005.

[bonanzadave]

Yes the petcock lever should move. Try some 3in1 oil to loosen it up. There are 3 positions on the petcock.

RES is reserve. Lever points Fwd - go get gas

ON is on. Lever points Down - No fuel will flow unless the engine vacuum pulls the petcock diaphragm open (or you suc on the vac hose). Gotta have the vac hose connected to the carbs.

PRI is on. Lever points Aft - No vacuum required for fuel to flow. Use this position if the bike has sat a while to fill the float bowls. Not recommended to leave it in the PRI position. Fuel can lift your carb seats and flood your crankcase.

[Airstream]

Thanks. Emptied the tank which looks very good inside and will try to get that petcock to move. Already replaced the stator and rectifier to electrosport ones and changed oil and filter.

[gpd211]

Thanks. Emptied the tank which looks very good inside and will try to get that petcock to move. Already replaced the stator and rectifier to electrosport ones and changed oil and filter.

replace the petcock. Mine moved freely but the bike would cut out above 6k. New petcock solved the problem. They aren't expensive (compared to being stranded) and its super easy to switch out.

[Homie]

Hmmmm? I'm not a fan of the tiny lever on the 1100 petcock myself. I'd like to replace mine with one that is a little easier to grab and turn to RES when the bike is stumbling and surging. Any direct bolt-in replacements out there with a larger lever? A Pingle maybe? Curious.

[sedelen]

I'm not a fan of that itty bitty levered petcock either, just too hard to reach down and find when your going down the highway, WD-40 loosened up my stiff turning lever.
Don't know if the tires were tubeless in '83, but I put tubes in my '82 GS1100E along with tubeless tires.

[rapidray]

The Pingel petcock IS the way to go & you will have no more petcock related issues! Ray.

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. Airstream,

I would opt for a new petcock. If you install a Pingel, just don't forget to TURN IT OFF! Or else you stand a good chance of filling your crankcase with gasoline.

Look on your wheels to see if they are stamped "Tubeless Tire Applicable" or something similar. They should be.

Anyway, let me dump a TON if information on you and share some GS lovin'.

I just stopped by to welcome you to the forum in my own, special way.

If there's anything you'd like to know about the Suzuki GS model bikes, and most others actually, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge and experience here in the community. Come on in and let me say "HOoooowwwDY!"....

Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...



Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Road_Clam]

I remember I had the same problem. I believe I ended up dissasembling the petcock, and I polished the tapered internal valve and used some antiseeze and that made a huge difference in the effort of operation of the lever.

[Mysuzyq]

They tend to get stiff because they see very little action, in a vacuum-activated design (esp. if the bike has been sitting unused). Mine freed up with regular use (switching to 'Prime' if the bike has been sitting a couple weeks), and occasionally moving the lever through it's full range of motion. It's still stiffer than a Pingle, but not so much that one needs pliers to move it.